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Published: July 25th 2009
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We left Puno early the next morning for what was to be an extravagent bus trip.
It started with a game of 5 little things after boredom had set in only after half an hour. Soon, it continued with the alphabet game and realising that we really didn´t know many countries beginning with O!
Anyway, we were due to cross the border on this trip sdo sure enough, after an hour or so we got off for the first stop, stamped ourselves out of Peru and walked across the bridge to Bolivia.
Then we embarked the same bus again until Cochabamba, the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca where we had just enough time to find a cash point and to witness a lady peeing in the street. Then, half hour later we jumped on another bus and soon stopped at another lake to cross by boat. We watched our bus get on another boat and waited a while until it reached our side of the lake. We definitely breathed a sigh of relief that our bags were all still there.
Finally back on the bus we arrived in La Paz a few hours later, the bus driver
kindly stopping at a mirador that overlooked the city. The city is literally planted between snow capped mountains.
No sooner had we arrived we found a perfect place to grab some food. Pie and mash followed by wine.
The next few days were spent mainly shopping. Nobody warned me that Bolivia was soooo cheap so heading into the Witches Market we found every woollen accessory possible and even some llama foetus´, we didn´t buy any of those despite it being lucky if you bury them under a corner of your house. I think our best buy was the whole season of Sex and the City for less than eight pounds. Despite La Paz being stuffed with people and a hundred things going on at once, it definitely has a buzz! There´s stalls all over the streets and after three days I loved it.
On Thursday, and amazed at how quick four weeks can go, Hannah hopped on a plane back to Ingleterra :o( We had a great four weeks together and we´ll definitely be reminiscing when I return home. On the Saturday, we lost Amy too so we were down to two.
To get over the
"losing your travel mate blues" Nic and I decided a bike ride was in order. What I didn´t tell you Mum and Dad, is that this bike ride is actually called the Worlds Most Dangerous Road. It´s located about an hour out of La Paz and is a 60km strectch of road along a cliffside. It´s known for it´s danger as in parts its only just 3 metres wide and half of it is gravel.
The road used to be open to traffic until a few years ago when they completed the new road. Now it´s far less dangerous... providing your brakes work and you don´t let go of them.
So early on Saturday morning we jumped in a bus with around 15 others and headed up into a sparse piece of mountain. It was freezing and we were kitted up with helmets, goggles, gloves, a safety vest and given our orders. Our bikes all had names, mine suitably name El Optimista. We had a little practice and then set off on the first 30km of road.
It was an amazing ride and you had to remember to keep concentrating on what you were doing instead of
looking at everything around you. We also had an "unamed" guy in our group who didn´t really seem to understand that when trucks toot you get out of their way, not vice versa. We decided to stay out of his way!
The first 30km was standard. Paved road and enough space to ride without worrying. However, the second stretch, we were on the old road. Gravel, narrow and huge drops all the way down. We split into two groups. Basically the 10 boys in the fast group trying to compete with each other and be the most "manly." And us, the nicely named "middle speed group," just four girls.
I´ve never held onto bike brakes so hard that my hands hurt afterwards. You´re constantly aware that if you let go or lose control you could fall of the edge but at the same time the views are amazing. You're also reminded all the way down that people have died by little memorial crosses and date plaques - of course, not forgetting seeing an actual car that had toppled over a while ago. Besides that, we rode through litte waterfalls, actually picked up some speed by the second half,
managed the ride without any crashes or falls and finished off with a cold beer, a swim and a lovely lunch. It was a massive adrenaline rush and I would love to do it again. Perhaps a little faster next time......
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